Match-box holder.



No. 637,455. Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

B. I. GILMAN.

MATCH BOX HOLDER.

(Application filed Mar. 4. 1899.\ N .(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2film-.- I... 5.1L...) %JM)22W fi WMW w M y UNITED STATES ATEN Fries.

BENJAMIN I. GILMAN, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

MATCH-BOX HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,455, dated November21, 1899.

Application filed March 4, 1 8 9 9- To aZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN I. GILMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMatch-Box Holders, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to match-box holders.

Heretofore match-box holders have ordinarily been made to hold'one boxof matches with the ends of the matches projecting to be taken hold ofby the user and ignited by rubbing or scratching on the sides of thebox.

The object of my invention is to make an improved match-box holder, andmore particularly a match-box holder to hold two boxes end to end, eachbox extending partly into the outer shell or case of one of the boxes,one of the boxes for the fresh matches to be lighted and the other forthe burned matches after they are used.

My match-box holder entirely incloses the match-boxes and theircontents, so that the matches are not exposed and are not so accessibleas to permit of their being wasted.

My match-box holder has a movable cover with openings therein for accessto the fresh matches and forinserting the burned matches, and the holderhas side openings for access to the scratching-surfaces on the match-boxto ignite the matches.

My invention consists in certain novel features of construction of mymatch-box holder, as will be hereinafter fully described.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a match-boxholder embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side View looking in thedirection of arrow at, Fig. 1. The dotted lines show the cover partiallyopen. Fig. 3 is a rear View looking in the direction of arrow 19, Fig.2; and Fig. 4is a central longitudinal section on line 4 4, Fig. 1,lookingin the direction of arrow a, same figure.

In the accompanying drawings the case or body of my match-box holder 1is of oblong shape and preferably made of metal, which may be pressed orstamped into the shape shown with bottom, sides, and ends. Each side ofthe holder 1 has an oblong opening 2 therethrough for access to therubbing or scratching surface on the match-box shell Serial No. 707,719.(No model.)

placed in the holder, and the bottom of the holder has a central opening3 therethrough, with two notches or slots 3 leading out therefrom andopposite each other. A plate of lead 4 may be secured on the bottom ofthe holder 1 to weight the holder and prevent it from easily moving whena match is scratched.

Combined with the body of the holder 1 is the top or cover 5, hingedthereto, preferably at one end, and provided with a spring lip or catch5, engaging with a lip 6, as shown in .Fig. 4, to hold the cover closed.The cover 5 has an opening 7 through the upper part thereof, which ispreferably of the shape and size shown for access to the matchescontained in the match-box 8 in the upper part of the holder. There is atransverse opening 11 through the lower part of the cover 5 of lessareathan the opening 7, through which opening 11 the burned matches areinserted into the match-box 12 in the lower part of the holder. Thisopening 11 is preferably made through a shallow depression 10 in thecover 5, to which is preferably given the general outline of the opening7 at the other end of the box, as shown in Fig. 1.

A knob or button 13 is secured to the central portion of the cover 5 andpreferably has a pointed pin 13, made integral therewith, extendingwithin the box, as shown in Fig. 4, to extend into the shell 14 of thematch-box.

In using my match-box holder an ordinary box of matches, which can beignited by scratching on the material on the edges of the box, isinserted in the holder 1, with the shell 14 in the central portion ofthe holder and the rubbing-surfaces on the sides thereof opposite theside openings 2 in the holder and the part 8 of the box which holds thematches half drawn out, as shown in Fig. 4, and with the open part ofsaid box coming directly back of the opening 7 through the top of thecover 5. An empty match-box 12 (shown in Fig. 4) is inserted in theother end of the matchbox shell 14, with the open part extending directly back of the opening 11 through the cover 5. The cover 5 is thenclosed, and the point 13 on the knob 13 will enter the shell 14 of thematch-box to hold it in place. The 'matches to be lighted will be takenout through the opening 7 in the cover '5 and scratched on either sideof the shell ll of the match-box through the opening 2 in each side ofthe holder 1, and the burned match will be inserted through the opening11 in the lower part of the cover into the empty box 12. After all thematches have been used the cover 5 is opened, the shell 1% is slid overthe box 12, containing the burned matches, and both thrown away. The box8, formerly containing fresh matches, is then partly run into the shellof a fresh box of matches and the Whole placed in the holder in themanner heretofore described.

In case smaller-sized match-boxes are used which do not fill theinterior of the holder 1 I may use a lip 15, extending down from theupper edge of the holder and secured thereto at the hinged end of thecover, and a second lip 16, extending down from and secured to the freeend of the cover. These lips will extend over the ends of the open partsof the match-box, as shown in Fig. 4, to hold them in place, and at thesame time the pin 13 on the inner end of the knob 13 will hold the outershell of the match-box in place, as shown in Fig. I.

The advantages of my match-box holder will be readily appreciated bythose skilled in the art. The match-boxes and matches are entirelyinclosed within the holder, which forms a neat case for them and whichmay be placed fiat on a table or maybe suspended from a wall, a pin orscrew engaging with one of the slots 3, leading out of the opening I} inthe bottom of the holder. The opening 3 in the bottom of the holderallows one box being placed on another in packing them, the knob 13extending into said opening. The openings 7 and 11 being of a diderentsize, the two openings are readily distinguished in the dark, and aperson becomes accustomed to feel for the larger opening to withdraw thematch and the smaller one to insert the burned match, so that the burnedmatches are not liable to be put into the Wrong box.

It will be understood that the details of construction of my match-boxholder may be varied, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure byLetters Patent, is

1. As an improved article of manufacture, a match-box holder, comprisinga case or box having a bottom, top, sides, and ends, and having openingsin the sides for access to the igniting-surfaces on the match-box, acentral opening through the bottom thereof, and a notch or slot leadingout therefrom, and a hinged top or cover, and two openings therethroughof different sizes, one near one end, and the other near the other endthereof, for the purpose stated, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In a match-box holder, the combination with the case or box, having abottom with a central opening therethrough, two sides with openingstherethrough, and two solid ends,of a top or cover hinged to the box,and having two openings therethrough of different sizes, and a centralknob with an inwardly-projecting point, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination with the case or box, having a bottom with a centralopening therethrough, two sides with openings therethrough, and twoends, and a top or cover hinged to said box, and having two openingstherethrough of different sizes, of a matchbox shell or cover, and twomatch boxes or receptacles extending out from the opposite ends of saidshell, substantiallyas shown and described.

4. In a match-box holder, the combination with a shell or case, having abottom With a central opening therethrough, two sides with openingstherethrough, and two ends, and a retaining-lip on the inside of theshell or case at one end thereof, of a top or cover hinged to the shellor case, and having two openings therethrough of different sizes, and aknob thereon with an inwardly-projecting point, and aninwardly-extending retaining-lip on one end of the cover, substantiallyas shown and described.

BENJAMIN I. GILMAN.

Witnesses:

E. HAYWARD FERRY, CURTIS CHIPMAN.

